After investigation by his friends and family, they came to the conclusion that he chose to end his life after a failed investment in cryptocurrency.

He had invested ₩200 million KRW (or US$186,000) in cryptocurrencies. But when the Korean government cracked down on cryptocurrency trading in the country, prices fell over 50% from its peak.

While Bitcoin’s value rose to a high of over US$19,000 in December 2017, it has since fallen to a low of US$6,567 at the time of writing.

However, this is just a speculation for the reason of his death by his friends and family. The Korean police have also added that “they will investigate whether there is a reason for his death in addition to virtual money”.

Many netizens have taken to popular forum website, Reddit, to voice out their opinions.

Most believe that while the dip in cryptocurrency was just a trigger; there were many other underlying problems.

Suicide in South Korea

The country has the second-highest suicide rate in the world according to the World Health Organisation. On average, men have a suicide rate that is twice as high as women.

Though the highest number of suicides in Korea comes from the elderly, college students have a higher than average suicide rate.

On 18 December 2017, Kim Jonghyun, the main vocalist of South Korean group Shinee, committed suicide. Paramedics found him unconscious in his studio.

They also found a suicide note. He had written stuff like, "I am broken inside" and "I hate myself," which indicates that he had suffered from depression for a long time.

If you or a loved one is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call a suicide prevention helpline: